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Xervia
Xervia is a city in the eastern hemisphere of Remnant, and the home of Siren Academy. It is the primary setting of The Coming Storm. Description Xervia is a busy metropolis with its fair share of nature preservation. The buildings are of every height and quality imaginable, from small, cramped apartments, to the fanciest mansions available to the rich. Contrary to first assumptions, the city is not divided into classes based on economic wealth; everyone is conglomerated into two hundred acres' worth of land. Surrounding the city is a massive electromagnetic wall which prevents any infiltration of Grimm or illegal immigrants. There are various openings throughout, but they are heavily guarded and secure as to make sure nothing gets in or out without some sort of verification. The style of Xervia's architecture and culture is a fusion of modern and traditional inspirations, and can be compared to modern day Tokyo, Japan; the downtown district is decorated with many colorful lights and signs that illuminate the city at night, guiding its citizens and visitors into many of the attractions it has to offer—restaurants, clubs, arcades, a mall, and several department stores. Hundreds of contemporary works paint the walls and art galleries to tie the modern city back to its traditional roots. Skywalks and glass bridges connect the buildings to one another and offer easy access to the transportation systems, such as the multiple skytrams and bullet train which help people get from one side of the city to another in just minutes. Air travel is a less common method, but there is a military post at the southern end of Xervia which acts as a landing zone for airships from other parts of the world; there is also a runway outside the city's own Siren Academy to welcome in new students. The size of Xervia is incomparable to those of Vale or Atlas, but stands as a veritable melting pot where Faunus and humans can live in harmony. History Dating back one hundred and fifty years ago, the common people who feared for the future of Remnant desired a place to shelter themselves from the dangers of the world, a way to preserve mankind if the world came to an end. They built a village surrounded by a stone wall, and constructed wooden homes inside. Things were peaceful for a long time. Seventy years after its construction, during the time of the Great War, people from all walks of life sought a place to flee from the danger, to live in a place where they could freely express themselves without persecution. Xervia opened its gates and allowed them in, though the influx of fear and uncertainy attracted the presence of the creatures fo Grimm. The citizens realized they would have to train their own to fight, and set to work teaching the ways of combat. In time the stone wall protecting the town became a steel enclosure. The Founding of Siren Years went by, and things were looking brighter than before, despite their home continent Mistral fighting a losing battle. Grimm were becoming sparse in the area, and the people who lived in Xervia were stronger than most outsiders predicted they could have ever become. Naturally, the only warriors at the time were young adults and their elders—strong-built individuals capable of driving back the dark forces of nature and the invading forces of their own kind. It was only a little while before they realized that they would need to start training children, individuals who could prepare to fight at such a young age. Thus, they allowed young boys and girls to attend their local school, and started prepping them for what lied ahead in their future. The strain on children, though, proved to be a problem, as some would exhaust themselves or face physical disabilities that prevented them from continuing with their education. Under the leadership of the first headmaster and founding father Ulrich Ulivieri, the age limit was raised, and the school was allowed to educate young adults as young as sixteen years old. He renamed the run-of-the-mill Siren Academy at the end of the Great War, a call to those who could hear that they were capable of proving their worth. Over the following decades, Xervia greatly accelerated its technological abilities. A man who had connections to high-grade manufacturers up north in Atlas convinced colleagues to lend their brilliant minds to the development of the little town, and put in an investment proving to be a worthwhile tribute. Once traditional and simple homes evolved into a hustle and bustle series of neighborhoods intent on catching up with the world. Wood homes became sturdy brick and stucco houses; the people's legacies learned how to craft their own weapons. Siren Academy became a substantial educational facility that could teach more than enough students to protect Xervia for lifetimes ahead. The steel wall surrounding the city became a technological barrier to regulate the arrival and departure of those inside and out. Discrimination Crackdown Thirty years ago, Xervia went through a particularly hard time when experiencing a food shortage, the true colors of its citizens came out, and discrimination against those with Faunus heritage was at an all-time high. After dozens of Faunus crumpled under the torment and left the city, at which point city officials decided to execute a crackdown on the law and increase punishment for mistreatment of individuals solely based on external traits. Brief protest broke out as a result, but the state of things ultimately reached a peaceful status, allowing citizens to live in harmony for the first time since the school's founding. Arondight's Influence Not long after the start of the school year, elections for the new mayor of Xervia went underway, and candidate Akio Leight quickly overtook the polls with a projected 79% chance of winning. The Siren Academy faculty decided to dig into his records and discovered his status as the leader of Arondight Corps, an underground arms-dealing group that planned to rile up negative tensions between humans and Faunus. When reported to the higher Xervian authorities, they failed to find any condemning evidence of his association with Arondight Corps, and dismissed the accusations as blasphemous, damaging Siren's reputation. Further digging by the students sent to investigate revealed Akio had a complex scheme in motion to pinpoint the weakest of the Remnant population and wipe them all out, in order to ensure a universal demographic only consisting of mentally and physically sound people. Figuring the politician planned to commit mass genocide, Siren quietly launched a series of undercover missions to infiltrate the underground trading network in Xervia and turn its businesses against Arondight Corps, severing their ties to virtually every business in the city. With the election drawing to a close and the people's votes cast in favor of Akio, Siren's students staged a public outcry at his final rally before the results came in to expose his plans to everyone. They were intially shrugged off as irrational protestors until one student was able to cause a scene, prompting reactions from Akio and his people that exposed their true natures. Akio was subsequently arrested, though a handful of his henchmen made their escape. Cold Void's Takeover During the later rounds of the Vytal Festival Tournament televised throughout the city, Cold Void used the opportunity to infiltrate the population distracted by the event, and planted Dust bomb charges all along the outer wall of the city to later execute their plan. The final round's incident and unknown assailant's broadcast became their opportunity to take action and on Morana's cue detonated the charges. The detonation completely overcame Xervia's wall with layer upon layer of ice Dust which sealed off the exits and disrupted the power, creating a citywide blackout. Dozens of people died in the explosions, and more were unprepared for the oncoming freeze which led to approximately fifty-two more people dying of hypothermia. Siren Academy was the only place to remain largely unaffected by the bombing, and was able to brace itself for incoming attacks from the extremist group. Meanwhile Cold Void took control of the rest of the city, choosing Amaranth Square as their primary base of operations. The takeover prompted many people who'd lost their homes to take shelter at Siren, where the staff and students adjusted their living space and place of study to accomodate a large number of families. A week later, one student by the name Canaan ventured into the city to make peace negotiations with Cold Void, only to have his plan backfire and instead be taken hostage. Cold Void approached the school to make a trade—his life for control of their academy. Despite the current headmaster initially agreeing to their terms, he made a prominent speech about not being afraid to die, and poured his heart out to his classmates about his true feelings. Cold Void's second-in-command executed Canaan, making him a martyr and igniting a civil war between them and the people of Siren. The civil war between Cold Void and Siren Academy turned the entire city into a battlefield. Looters are running rampant, and crime is at an all-time high. The number of Grimm nearing Xervia has significantly increased with the population's growing fear for their lives and their missing loved ones. Siren Academy is considered the only safezone in the city and is unable to call for help after the Fall of Beacon's tower disabled their primary means of widespread communication. Students have turned their classes into mission briefings, and set out into the city to either retrieve supplies, rescue survivors, or put a stop to criminal activity as instructed. By no means are they allowed to set foot near Cold Void or their headquarters, lest they wish to meet an early death. Noted Locations 'Siren Academy -' the city's primary education hub. Siren Academy is an advanced facility designed to train aspiring huntsmen and huntresses between the ages of 17 and 20. 'The Delacroix Foster House -' Run by Chysanthemum Delacroix. The Delacroix Foster House is a foster home for orphaned, abandoned, and mistreated Faunus children under the age of 20. Due to the recent spike in Xervia's population, there haven't been as many residents. Current residents include Mother Chrysanthemum, Sinya (fox Faunus), Rhiver (cat Faunus), and Saige Cristallo (human), who is away during the school year. 'Amaranth Square -' Xervia's biggest outdoor shopping center. Amaranth Square is located towards the west end of Xervia and has over one hundred and twenty stores, including a fitness gym, toy stores, clothing outlets, five different department stores, Trivia *The name Xervia is derived from the Latin word cervus meaning deer. **It also holds a connection with the name Servia, a feminization of the Ancient Roman name Servius. Servius comes from the Latin word servo which means "to preserve, serve, guard." This can be attributed to the massive wall surrounding the city.